Is it worth it to become a CNA on my road to becoming a nurse?
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Is it worth it to become a Cna on my road too becoming a nurse. I am still not done with my prerequisite and am looking to gain experience. I am thinking about getting Cna training and trying to find... Read More

Nov 21, '12

Quote from klynn81

As far as pay, I work at a hospital and starting pay is just over $17/hr. not including any shift/weekend premiums. To me I'd say that's 'decent'.

If you don't mind me asking, what city/state are you in? $17 for a CNA is extraordinary!

Nov 28, '12

I also live in the Sacramento area. I found obtaining my CNA while working towards obtaining my nursing degree helped immensely and in speaking to nurses, I found that the ones who had been CNA's before or during nursing school found it to help them be better prepared for certain aspects of their roles as LVN's and RN's. I also would like to think it made them kinder and more empathetic to the CNA's they worked with as they had been in their shoes at one point and were more apt to be mentor-ish to those of us furthering our education.

I know if you are going for your LVN, most schools in Sacramento require or strongly recommend you obtain your CNA before applying to their programs. For RN schooling, generally they do not bring this up; however since the wait time to get into a RN program is so long locally, obtaining the CNA and then LVN and then doing the bridge to RN and BSN might be the quicker and better option.

CNA's here make between $10-12 to start depending on where you work. If you have your CHHA with the CNA, most home health agencies will pay you more than if you do not have it. Not bad for only one more week of training.

Incidentally, SETA will pay for your CNA training in Sacramento. They contract with one or two schools that are state approved training facilities in our area. This includes your Live Scan which you have to do before you can do clinicals and before the state will even issue your CNA as well as tuition, books, BP kit (stethoscope and cuff), school uniform (except white shoes), and American Red Cross testing. In roughly a month, you could have your CNA and can start applying for work the day you pass your ARC exam. The CHHA course is usually the week after the ARC testing and Curam College includes it in the amount they charge SETA for your CNA. So you get both for the price of one.

Hope that helps some. :-)

Dec 4, '12

Wow, that's great pay for a CNA, klynn81. In north FL the average seems to be about nine to ten dollars per hour. In fact the average LPN pay in FL in a bit over nineteen dollars per hour. What state are you in?

Wow, that's great pay for a CNA, klynn81. In north FL the average seems to be about nine to ten dollars per hour. In fact the average LPN pay in FL in a bit over nineteen dollars per hour. What state are you in?

No state. Province. I'm in Canada

with that said..I am American and my sister and I have talked about the wages that CNA/LPN/RN make in the states and I've come to the conclusion that I'd probably never move south of the border again especially without going back to school for nursing first because I find the pay insulting. (been there done that, I worked as a CNA in the states oh say probably 12yrs ago and got paid A LOT less. I believe it was $8 or $9 at that time).

Dec 5, '12

I am a PCA/SNA which is similar to a CNA. Some nursing schools require your CNA license as a prerequisite.

I work as a PCA in two hospitals. The experience is invaluable and it helps to have a little income to pay for books and tuition. My higher paying PCA job pays me 11.10/hr, not including shift and weekend differentials (which boost me to about $15/hr.) Not bad for someone who only has a high school diploma. Plus it looks FANTASTIC on the resume.

Also, if you are looking for something less hands-on, try a sitter spot. I was a sitter for over a year and it was also great experience.

Dec 6, '12

Working as a CNA has helped dispel many delusions I previously held about the healthcare industry; I used to be the sweet, touchy-feely girl who wanted to sit and chat with every single resident over tea and crumpets.

When I was a new CNA, I was concerned with doing everything the way I learned in school. One day, a resident (A&O) screamed at me. "OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, can you PLEASE just get on with it? Stop explaining EVERY SINGLE TIME you wipe my ***!" she yelled. We both had a good laugh, but it was a major wake up call! Sometimes, the people in our care don't want touchy-feely...They want honesty and support.

It's not that I've become uncaring; it's that I am now oriented to reality. I don't think that nurses necessarily spend their whole shifts running about screaming, "Get the crash cart!" while holding the dying patient's hand dramatically, monitors beeping in the periphery. Doctors never bring room trays, nor wear their stethoscopes with the earpieces pointing the wrong direction like they do on TV.

I have learned that nurses have to plow through the Himalayas of paperwork, and that med passes are much, MUCH harder than they look. Certain nursing assistants ALWAYS make up vitals and lie about shower refusals. Certain administrators will purchase all-in-one latte machines in lieu of equipment that is needed on the unit. Sometimes, she will accidentally order thermometer probes that could double as condoms but is too cheap to return them. Patients are not always the gentle, compliant patient roles that we act out in lab.

Healthcare is not all rainbows and glitter, but I've made peace with that.

Dec 8, '12

OP I considered getting my cna as well and working as a cna in the future while I take pre reqs for a bsn through an accelerated program. It would be a big pay cut for me but I am in a non health care profession and I feel it would increase the likeliness of getting accepted into an absn program, as well give me better job prospects when looking for an rn job. It would also allow me to see if I am making the right choice in switching career fields. I am in my 30s so I need to be sure before I make such a drastic change. Good luck!

Dec 9, '12

I don't know about California BUT, in PA where I live, CNA's make between $11-$23 dollars an hour especially in a hospital. I know plenty of CNA's that make a great living and from my experience, CNA work and Votech has helped me a lot in Nursing Fundamentals and on clinicals that is about it. Also, I have plenty of girls in my class that work as CNA's and HHA and have jobs waiting for them once they graduate.

I don't know about California BUT, in PA where I live, CNA's make between $11-$23 dollars an hour especially in a hospital. I know plenty of CNA's that make a great living and from my experience, CNA work and Votech has helped me a lot in Nursing Fundamentals and on clinicals that is about it. Also, I have plenty of girls in my class that work as CNA's and HHA and have jobs waiting for them once they graduate.

where do you live!? I am from Pittsburgh and new grads start off at like 24$ an hour!

with that said..I am American and my sister and I have talked about the wages that CNA/LPN/RN make in the states and I've come to the conclusion that I'd probably never move south of the border again especially without going back to school for nursing first because I find the pay insulting. (been there done that, I worked as a CNA in the states oh say probably 12yrs ago and got paid A LOT less. I believe it was $8 or $9 at that time).

I'm finding it difficult to relate to the wages made in the US. I'm at a little over $20/hr now as an aide. I can hardly wait to get to my lpn wage of $33/hr. Some of the lpns in the US don't make what I make as an aide.

Dec 11, '12

Here in SoCal, $10 at SNFs and around $14 in hospitals.

As for me, I would tell fellow students and in job interviews that I did CNA to gain nursing experience. That's a partial truth. The real truth is that it was very easy to get a CNA job (early 2012) and my aim was to work wkend nights so I could do my pre-reqs with minimal distractions.

Overall OP--besides being a bit more comfortable in the health care setting--becoming a CNA first is good for full-time students who'd also like to pull in a humble paycheck. Would I recommend it? I have to say I'm neutral.
And my personal view is this: A brand new RN grad with CNA experience is no more than 2 days ahead of a brand new RN grad w/out CNA exp.

Dec 11, '12

I didn't become a CNA for the money personally. I became a CNA for the love of people. I love people and I love my job. I do want to go to school and become an RN eventually, but right now, being a CNA is where I'm at in my heart. $17/hour is great pay for CNA. I make a little over $8.

Dec 11, '12

I think all nurses should be required to be CENAS first Some of my nurses, you can TOTALLY tell they have no idea how hard our job can be!